Research for Competitiveness Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out a program of awarding competitive grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct, high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to industry.
Directs the Under Secretary for Science of the Department of Energy to carry out a program of awarding competitive grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to energy production, storage, and use.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5357 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5357
To authorize the National Science Foundation and the research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application programs of the
Department of Energy to provide grants to early career researchers to
conduct high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to industry.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 11, 2006
Mr. McCaul of Texas (for himself, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr.
Calvert, Mr. Ehlers, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Inglis of South Carolina, and
Mr. Schwarz of Michigan) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Science
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the National Science Foundation and the research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application programs of the
Department of Energy to provide grants to early career researchers to
conduct high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to industry.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Research for Competitiveness Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION INDUSTRIALLY-RELEVANT RESEARCH
AWARDS.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Science Foundation
shall carry out a program to award competitive grants to scientists and
engineers at the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher
education and research institutions to conduct high-risk, high-return
research in areas relevant to industry.
(b) Size and Duration of Award.--The duration of awards under this
section shall be 5 years, and the amount per year shall be $50,000.
Additionally, if an award recipient receives funding from United States
industry for work in the area described in the recipient's application
for the award, then up to an additional $50,000 may be provided each
year as a one-to-one match to such industry funding.
(c) Eligibility.--Award recipients shall be individuals who are
employed in a tenure-track position as an assistant professor or
equivalent title, or who hold an equivalent position, at--
(1) an institution of higher education in the United
States; or
(2) an organization in the United States that is a
nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organization such as a
museum, observatory, or research laboratory.
(d) Application and Selection Process.--
(1) Initial application.--Applicants for awards under this
section shall submit to the Director--
(A) a curriculum vitae or resume, including a list
of publications and a description of any activities
demonstrating leadership or educational activities;
(B) a description of research areas of interest;
(C) letters of recommendation; and
(D) any other materials the Director requires.
(2) Further consideration and selection.--The Director
shall convene review panels to make recommendations, based on
application materials received under paragraph (1), of which
candidates are qualified to be finalists for the award. Based
on these recommendations, the Director shall select finalists,
who shall then be interviewed by panels of experts who shall
make recommendations to the Director on the recipients of the
awards. The Director shall make awards based on these
recommendations.
(e) Composition of Review Panels.--The panels reviewing
applications and interviewing finalists as described in subsection (d)
shall include representatives from a range of industries.
(f) Criteria for Awards.--In establishing criteria for evaluation
of applications for grants under this section, the Director shall
include--
(1) the potential of the applicant for leadership at the
frontiers of knowledge;
(2) the potential innovative or transformative nature of
research in the areas of interest described in the application;
(3) the creativity demonstrated in the applicant's past
research activities; and
(4) the potential relevance to industry of research in the
areas of interest described in the application.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation to
carry out this section--
(1) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(2) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(3) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(4) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(5) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY INDUSTRIALLY-RELEVANT RESEARCH AWARDS.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary for Science of the Department
of Energy shall carry out a program to award competitive grants to
scientists and engineers at the early stage of their careers at
institutions of higher education and research institutions to conduct
high-risk, high-return research in areas relevant to energy production,
storage, and use.
(b) Participation of Department of Energy Organizations.--The
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application
programs of the Office of Science, the Office of Nuclear Energy
Research and Development, the Office of Fossil Energy, and the Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewables may participate in the program
established under subsection (a).
(c) Size and Duration of Award.--The duration of awards under this
section shall be up to 5 years, and the amount per year shall be
$50,000. Additionally, if an award recipient receives funding from
United States industry for work in the area described in the
recipient's application for the award, then up to an additional $50,000
may be provided each year as a one-to-one match to such industry
funding.
(d) Eligibility.--Award recipients shall be individuals who are
employed in a tenure-track position as an assistant professor or
equivalent title, or who hold an equivalent position, at--
(1) an institution of higher education in the United
States; or
(2) an organization in the United States that is a
nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organization such as a
museum, observatory, or research laboratory.
(e) Application and Selection Process.--
(1) Initial application.--Applicants for awards under this
section shall submit to the Under Secretary--
(A) a curriculum vitae or resume, including a list
of publications and a description of any activities
demonstrating leadership or educational activities;
(B) a description of research areas of interest;
(C) letters of recommendation; and
(D) any other materials the Under Secretary
requires.
(2) Further consideration and selection.--The Under
Secretary shall convene review panels to make recommendations,
based on application materials received under paragraph (1), of
which candidates are qualified to be finalists for the award.
Based on these recommendations, the Under Secretary shall
select finalists, who shall then be interviewed by panels of
experts who shall make recommendations to the Under Secretary
on the recipients of the awards. The Under Secretary shall make
awards based on these recommendations.
(f) Composition of Review Panels.--The panels reviewing
applications and interviewing finalists as described in subsection (e)
shall include representatives from a range of industries.
(g) Criteria for Awards.--In establishing criteria for evaluation
of applications for the grants awarded under section (a), the Under
Secretary shall include--
(1) the potential for leadership at the frontiers of
knowledge by the applicant;
(2) the potential innovative or transformative nature of
research in the areas of interest described in the application;
(3) the creativity demonstrated in the applicant's past
research activities; and
(4) the potential relevance to industry of research in the
areas of interest described in the application.
(h) Collaboration With National Laboratories.--In awarding grants
under this section, the Under Secretary may give priority to
applications in which the proposed work includes collaboration with the
Department of Energy National Laboratories.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy to carry out this section--
(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(2) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(3) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(4) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(5) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
SEC. 4. DEFINITION.
In this Act, the term ``institution of higher education'' has the
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E806-807)
Referred to the House Committee on Science.
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